Bad things happen, and what is most offensive, they happen exactly when you don't expect them. For example, while relaxing.
And in order to find out what may threaten a tourist while staying in his own or a foreign country, the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT) studied the statistics of accidents that happened to vacationers in 2019. This is how a short rating of the most dangerous countries for Russian tourists appeared.
3. Turkey
Despite the difficult relations between Russia and Turkey, Russians en masse choose this tourist destination for its cheapness and good service. In 2019, about 7 million tourists from Russia visited this country. But not all of them returned home, due to various accidents, 9 Russians died and 39 tourists were injured.
The most famous case occurred with a 12-year-old St. Petersburg woman vacationing with her parents at the Sunhill Hotel. Her hand was pulled into the pool drain. The child, who spent almost 10 minutes under water, drowned and died.
2. Thailand
The second place in the list of the most dangerous countries for Russians is occupied by the popular Asian destination, which was visited by 1.5 million people in 2019. There were killed 13 vacationers who came from Russia, and another 14 of our fellow citizens received various injuries.
1.Russia
In the country where Russian tourists are most often killed, you can find yourself without even leaving your apartment. The PCT explained this by the fact that a large number of our fellow citizens prefer to rest at home.
Over the past year, 44 tourists died in the Russian Federation, about 192 more were injured.
At the same time, none of these three countries is among the most economically and politically unstable countries in the world, being more or less successful in these relations.
The most common causes of accidents with tourists
The laurels of the championship in tragic incidents near the water element in 2019 were intercepted by the mountains. These are the data of the PCT, which were at the disposal of Interfax-Tourism. Cases such as falling under an avalanche or rockfall, falling from rocks or into a gorge, frostbite, etc. account for 80% of all tragedies with Russian climbers, skiers and ordinary vacationers.
The second place is occupied by incidents on water and road traffic accidents.
The leader in the number of water-related accidents is Thailand (6 out of 14 drowning accidents). And it is not surprising, because Russians love the beaches of the "land of smiles."
In Russia in the past year, six people drowned, in Turkey - four.
- Moreover, vacationers themselves are often to blame for their troubles. Some ignore the ban on swimming in a certain place, others violate safety rules (for example, swimming in a storm). There are also frequent cases of collisions between jet skis.
- As for road accidents, in Russia over the past year, 9 people died and 119 were injured in accidents involving tourist buses. Four Russians died on the roads of Thailand. In Turkey, there are two.
- There were also cases when drunk Russian tourists fell from the balcony of their hotel room and crashed to death. Four such cases occurred in Thailand, one in Turkey.
For our fellow citizens, who went on a carefree vacation, not only land and water, but also air attractions can be dangerous. So, in Turkey, two Russians lost their lives in flight: one fell with a paraglider, and the second - during parasailing.
For the first time, Azerbaijan also got into the sad statistics of accidents with tourists from Russia. There, branches of a 500-year-old tree fell on a crowd of people in which there were two Russian travelers. Fortunately, people did not die, but they were injured.
How to keep life and health: useful tips for tourists traveling abroad
- The first and main tip is to take the money on health insurance. Many people believe that they do not need such a service, and this misconception comes at a cost. For the simple reason that anything can happen on a trip - from a banal allergy and poisoning to an accident. And medical care abroad is expensive.
- Get the appropriate vaccinations before traveling to another country. Ask your doctor about precautions to take before traveling. Even if immunization is expensive, it is best to do it to keep yourself safe.
- Gather a small first aid kit that should contain a supply of non-prescription pain relievers, antihistamines, bandages, and any medications you are prescribed. Always carry your first aid kit with you, even if you are going to bask on the beach all day.
- Remember that prohibition signs on mountain trails, waterfalls, beaches and other tourist routes are not just put. Don't ignore these warnings. And if you're going to hike in the mountains, buy trekking shoes with non-slip protectors.
- If you are going to ride a catamaran, jet ski, boat or other water transport, be sure to rent or buy a life jacket. Do not jump or rock the floating vehicle and hold on tight.
- If you drank, even "on the bottom", do not go swimming on the beach or even in the pool, do not visit the attractions, and do not engage in any activity fraught with injury at all. Remember: alcohol and carelessness are the main enemies of a tourist's health.